Editor's Picks

Dak Prescott received a bonus worth more than $350,000 from the NFL based on his outstanding performance as a rookie this past season with the Dallas Cowboys, according to a source.

Here's how it works: Each team has $3.995 million of performance pay that it distributes to players whose playing time is disproportionate to their salaries. As it should be -- the lowest paid who do the most work get more coin.

Depending on snap counts, a player can buy a house or an Applebee's dinner (hi, Chad Henne) with that money.

Things are looking up. For 2015, eight NFL players eclipsed $300,000 in performance-based pay. In 2016, 17 players hit the mark, including four who made back-to-back appearances on the list. And this isn't counting an additional veterans-only pool that pays more than $90,000 in some cases.

Here's the breakdown, which is sure to make everyone feel better about tax season.

Orr retired at age 24 because of a neck and spinal condition, and though his playmaking will be missed, he'll eclipse $400,000 in new money on his way out. Orr woke up to news of a "nice little check" Wednesday.